Housing Pathways represents a momentous shift in the way people will apply for social housing, with one common application form and one housing register.

The people who will be benefiting from Housing Pathways are social housing clients. The change is all about making applying for housing assistance simpler and fairer for you.

Where previously, you would place a 10-page application with Housing NSW and then go to two or three community housing providers and place all your details into two or three more application forms – this has now become a lot easier from today.

Not only is applying now easier, but making changes to details or requesting a transfer will be much simpler. You can update your details just the once by contacting either Housing NSW or your local community housing provider. No longer do you have to remember all the organisations you have placed your details with.

ANDfairer – Housing Pathways ensures that the criteria for assessing eligibility for social housing applies once across the board. You will be able to receive information about your progress in the register from any of the participating organisations.

This will lead to us being able to deliver a more efficient and streamlined service to you.

Link2home

Link2home, the new statewide homelessness information and referral telephone service has now commenced.

The service provides information, conducts assessments, as well as makes referrals to homelessness services across NSW and is part of the Going Home Staying Home reforms announced last month.

It brings together several homelessness telephone services including Homeless Persons Information Centre, Y Connect and the After Hours Temporary Accommodation line and is being delivered by the Housing Contact Centre.

Link2home is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year on 1800 152 152.

The service is for people who are homeless or who are worried they will become homeless, as well as for advocates acting on a person's behalf.

Link2home will work in partnership with Specialist Homelessness Services across NSW to provide the best response for clients.